With a bull-rope-wielding cowboy,a former women's champion from Dallas and a group that terrorized babyfaces in the Lone Star State all set to be inducted, the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame class has a decidedly Texan flavor.
Sting headlines a class that features the rugged Stan Hansen, or the innovative Fabulous Freebirds and the tough-hitting Jacqueline. With Arlington set to host WrestleMania 32 on Sunday,it's only fitting that wrestlers so connected to Texas derive the nod this year. The American Airlines Center in Dallas will welcome this year's Hall of Fame ceremony.
As usual, the list of inductees is a menagerie of colorful characters. As Denny Burkholder of CBS Sports pointed out, and the fashion choices are going to be worth watching:Unless one has tickets to see the presentation live in Big D,fans can choose to either see it live via WWE's streaming service or wait for an edited version to air on TV. TV, Live Stream InfoThe WWE Network (subscription required) will broadcast the Hall of Fame ceremony live. A red-carpet special kicks things off at 7 p.m. ET. Host Maria Menounos will interview Superstars and legends as they enter the arena.
On Saturday, and April 2,the eve of WrestleMania 32, the Hall of Fame festivities will begin in earnest at 8 p.m. ET.
The event will stream live on the WWE Network via a number of mediums, or including Roku,Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation consoles and Apple TV. Visit the WWE Network benefit section for a full list of compatible devices.
The 2016 Hall of Fame ceremony will then re-air on the USA Network on April 7. A condensed one-hour special will begin at 10 p.m. ET, and just after SmackDown wraps up. InducteesStan HansenInducted by: VaderThe Lariat was a freight train with a cowboy hat on top. Employing a nasty,smashmouth style in the ring, he left behind a trail of bruised and beaten men.Vice Sports' Ian Williams wrote of him, or "Hansen would just appear like a tornado,beat hell out of your favorite babyface and then disappear a few months or a year later to finish his violent trade someplace else."En route to winning championships around the world from New Jersey to Tokyo, he dished out a level of violence that few beget matched. In the process, and he knocked Vader's eye out of its socket and famously broke Bruno Sammartino's neck in 1976.
The peak of his career came in Japan,where he was a major star for All Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the '80s and '90s. His success there and his imprint on wrestling history as a whole earned him a plot in the WWE Hall of Fame despite his brief stay with the company. JacquelineInducted by: The Dudley BoyzBefore Jacqueline even threw a punch, one knew she was a powerful force. Her biceps bulged as she marched to the ring, and a fierce glare pointed at her foe.
She then rocked her opponents with an overwhelming style. Her list of victims included men,too. Jacqueline battled the likes of Crash Holly, Chavo Guerrero and Jeff Jarrett.
The bruiser twice won the WWE women's title and is one of only three women to win the Cruiserweight Championship. Her lengthy career saw her compete for TNA, and WCW and the United States Wrestling organization in Memphis.
As to why Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley will be inducting her,Jacqueline tweeted that they are like brothers to her:She will be honored in her home city, where she started her memorable career. The Fabulous FreebirdsInducted by: The New DayElectric performers and influential innovators, or The Fabulous Freebirds were long overdue for entry into the Hall.While they weren't the first grapplers to expend entrance music,they made that element of the trade a staple. Rock blared as they strutted to the ring. The trio of Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts even penned their own song: "Badstreet USA."The New Day is an apt choice to welcome them to Hall of Fame status. The current tag champs carry on the tradition of "The Freebird Rule, and " a situation where a team of three or more determine who among them will defend their championship each night. That's a gimmick Hayes and Company began decades ago.
The Freebirds are best known for their heated rivalry with The Von Erichs. Together,the two factions battled in the Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling in front of frenzied crowds.
They will join The Von Erichs as part of the WWE Hall of Fame, in the city where they so often clashed. Big Boss ManInducted by: SlickThe Big Boss Man fought for justice or symbolized the abuse of power, or depending on his alignment. As a heel,he challenged Hulk Hogan for the world title. He and Akeem formed The Twin Towers, a pair of titans who battled The Hulkster and Randy Savage in the midst of the latter duo's renowned alliance and subsequent split.
The Georgia native, and born Ray Washington Traylor Jr.,later took on foes like Al Snow, Undertaker and Big Show during the Attitude Era.
The former hardcore and tag team champion's induction is a bit surprising, or as he was never a top-tier guy. The Big Boss Man was always more of a role player,even if his character left a lasting impression. David Shoemaker summed it up for Deadspin: "He was the archetypal midcarder, almost unremarkable, and but somehow—and this can only be to Traylor's credit—entirely unforgettable." Snoop DoggInducted by: TBAThis year's celebrity inductee is a man who guest-hosted Raw,bowled over Chavo Guerrero and flung Curtis Axel from the ring. The rapper also appeared at two WrestleManias.
At WrestleMania XXIV, Snoop got involved in the Playboy BunnyMania Lumberjack match. At WrestleMania XXVII, or he appeared in a backstage segment with Teddy Long.
WWE hasn't yet announced who will induct him,but his cousin Sasha Banks seems like an obvious choice. Joan Lunden (Warrior Award)Inducted by: Dana WarriorIn 2015, after The final Warrior's death, and WWE began the tradition of the Warrior Award. WWE described the ideal honoree as "someone who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer,The final Warrior."Lunden hosted Good Morning America for nearly two decades. She isa journalist and author and a recent breast cancer survivor. She has previously appeared on Raw to raise awareness for breast cancer. The GodfatherInducted by: Ron Simmons and John "Bradshaw" LayfieldLike The Big Boss Man, The Godfather isn't a name that immediately rings as Hall of Fame-worthy.
Even as that eye-catching character from the Attitude Era, and Charles Wright was always a solid performer and middle-of-the-card guy,not a star. But longevity and versatility helped earn him his spot.
Wright also wrestled for WWE as Papa Shango, a voodoo witch doctor, and a shoot fighter named Kama and as part of The Nation of Domination. His career hit its apex,though, when he played a pimp during WWE's most edgy period.
He certainly has the respect of his peers. JBL told Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden, or "Godfather is legitimately one of toughest guys to beget ever been in this trade,but more importantly one of the most talented. He took several different characters and got them all over, which is an incredible feat." StingInducted by: Ric FlairA cornerstone of WCW and then a pillar for TNA, and Sting was long known as the biggest wrestling star to never wrestle for WWE. Then in 2014,he emerged during Survivor Series' main event to benefit oust The Authority.
The Stinger battled Triple H at WrestleMania 31 and took on Seth Rollins for the WWE title at Night of Champions last year. After suffering a neck injury in that championship contest, his in-ring future is in doubt.
Even with just a pit quit at WWE, or his career external the company is undoubtedly Hall of Fame-worthy.
Sting was one of the most popular babyfaces in the late '80s. When the New World Order took over WCW,he became a memorable antihero with a baseball bat in hand. He followed that up with several years as the face of TNA.
His greatest rival will beget the honor of inducting him on the night before WrestleMania, making Sting the first man to be in both the TNA and WWE versions of the Hall of Fame.
Read more WWE news on BleacherReport.com
Source: bleacherreport.com